Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

Usually, I’m not much of a fan of remakes/reboots or reimaginings. They
always come across as a desperate effort to continue milking the cash cow of the
original movie’s brand. A significant reason for this observation is many fans
elevate the cast, story details as iconic, venerated and inalterable. The
problem arises when the story explores aspects of the human condition that is
inherently alterable. In cases such as this, it falls to each generation to
relate the story through the filter of their experiences and sensibilities.
Remakes of many movies predominately are produced for financial reasons but an
example of a film which remained closer to the above-stated hypothesis, ‘The
Invasion of the Body Snatchers.' I grew up enthralled with the 1956 original
featuring Keven McCarthy, Dana Wynter, and King Donovan, directed by Don Siegel.
It was a near perfect allegory for the dominant physiological state of the
American public. The fear of Communism fed by the nuclear arms race and the
persistent terror of Soviet agents living in deep cover posing as American;
pretending to be an actual American citizen. Then, the space program had shifted
into high gear, fanning the flames of a propaganda drive race to outer space. In
1978 the torch was taken up by Philip Kaufman this time with Donald Sutherland,
Brooke Adams, and Jeff Goldblum assuming the top billing. From the very first
scene, this variation demonstrates a greater proclivity to approach the
fundamental tenants of the story as science fiction. For a most diehard fan,
including myself, the intrinsic appeal of the film was how well it epitomized
the zeitgeist of the western world. Having grown up with the original, I
understandably had considerable trepidation the first time I had an opportunity
to watch it. Now that a fully remastered high-definition edition was released it
was time to revisit.

The basis for horror was that the pods that took over the bodies of their
victim eradicating every vestige of emotions came from outer space. It was a
reasonable premise and did help to superficially separate the origins of the
terror from it allegorical source, the U.S.S.R. this film makes confident that
we understand the true origins of the invaders.The story opens with the audience
shown a planet in the throes of dying. The inhabitants, gelatinous creatures
capable of shrouding themselves for the deep space Diasporas. They make the long
journey eventually landing near San Francisco. The first phase of the invasion
requires them assimilating terrestrial flora. The resulting pods spout rather
attractive pink flowers that people begin to bring home. One person
appropriating the specimen was Elizabeth Driscoll (Brooke Adams), an employee of
the San Francisco Department of Health. The next morning her boyfriend,
Elizabeth's boyfriend, Geoffrey Howell (Art Hindle), awakens exhibiting very
subtle, changes. Usually, he is considerably outgoing and amiable, but he is now
especially distant, devoid of and emotional responses.

Replacing the small-town physician as the human being who first realizes
something is drastically wrong is a City Heal Inspector, Matthew Bennell (Donald
Sutherland), who depicted at work as a sharply deductive man concerned with the
most minute differences. Among the restaurant owners in his jurisdiction, Matt’s
reputation is as someone known ti be tough but fair. This scene efficiently
established during one inspection where the owner tries to convince Matt that a
rat turd he found was a piece of seasoning until the owner declined to eat it.
He is Elizabeth’s friend and co-worker. Early on they each come across people
that look exactly like what they should and possess the real memories but are
entirely devoid of emotional expression. A seemingly mentally disturb man
accosted Matt. shouting something about "they’re already here, you’re next." In
a touch of clever stunt casting the madman is none other than Kevon McCarthy
reprising the same scene from the end of the original classic film. It is almost
always a bonus point or two when the filmmaker has sufficient respect for the
original to not just reference it but to arrange for a cameo from the original
cast. This incidental character simultaneously sets up the looming terror,
achieving with a nod to the beloved status of the original. Continuing with
establishing the central premise the man is later seen dead with people looking
at his body as unemotional as mannequins. Evidence grows as a woman insists her
husband is not her husband. Others dismiss the incident as the man trying to get
out of the relationship.

Jack Bellicec (Jeff Goldblum), a friend of Matthew, contacts him. He is a
burgeoning writer who owns a bathhouse with his wife, Nancy (Veronica
Cartwright). They discovered a body, but there was something extremely odd and
disturbing about it. It was obviously human, but it seemed to be incomplete,
lacking distinct features such as lines, creases, and fully differentiated
features. Making the situation more peculiar is that this thing bears an
undeniable similarity to Jack, enough so to make Nancy and Jack visibly upset.
Several documented psychiatric disorders present with patients become convinced
that their loved ones were replaced, so this version of the story recognizes
this fact by introducing a psychiatrist as a prominent character. Dr. David
Kibner (Leonard Nimoy). Integral to reformatting the story, elements were the
necessity to alter several crucial plot points. Changing the emphasis from a
socio-political allegory to a science fiction/horror movie necessitated changes
to some key plot points. Including the opinion of a mental health professional
had the tendency to anchor the frightening elements of the narrative. By
permitting the fundamental themes to become independent of the widespread
political fears that gripped the country the allowed an entirely new
consideration of the situations. While the Anti-Communist message does not
preclude the unsettling sense of alarm in any alternate time or place, the
concentration on a ‘purely Sci-Fi’ methodology does liberate the premise making
it ubiquitously frightening on a deeply ingrained assault on the most primitive
responses programmed into our minds. The ultimate proof that this approach was
successful is found in the final, terrifying shot of the film. It strikes such a
primitive chord in the core of the response to a stimulus that the closing image
is seen in the movie that that single, powerful image is one that remains in
your mind long after the closing credits end. It is not often that an image can
scare the audience on both a visceral and psychological level so effectively
that it is still cited as the epitome of horror almost forty years later.

Once again Shout Factor delivers with a technically superior edition that not
only provides fans with the very best video and audio possible but they have
assembled a selection of additional content that will expand your understanding
the process of creating the film resulting in a significate enhancement of your
continued enjoyment.